Review: Volkswagen Touareg TDI – Clean Diesel is Good Clean Fun

By Kelly Foss – MyCarData

Volkswagen is obviously doing something right. Globally, they are the world’s #3 automaker and in the 1st quarter of 2009, they outsold everyone, including Toyota, to be the top selling automobile manufacturer in the world!

Recently, VW has added a clean diesel, high fuel economy TDI option to their large SUV the Touareg. It is a big, roomy and very capable truck that can be fitted out in a luxurious fashion. Volkswagen has a successful and long heritage in diesel engine production. Over 50% of VW’s vehicle sales in Europe are now diesels.

The new Touareg TDI comes with a new 3.0 liter turbo diesel V6 engine. It is a modern common rail system that uses high pressure to atomize the fuel. This produces a very quiet, clean, odorless and smokeless engine.

The new 3.0 TDI engine is an aluminum 90 degree V6 with 221 horsepower and a huge 406 foot pounds of torque, all of which is available at a low 1,750 rpm’s. That kind of monster torque effortlessly pulls the substantial Touareg down the road with no hesitation thanks in part to the 6 speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. This SUV will accelerate to 60 miles an hour in a respectable 8.5 seconds and still has a 7,700 pound towing capacity.

The EPA fuel economy rating is 17 city and 25 highway which is considerably less than what I experienced. During a 100 mile jaunt through the North Carolina and Virginia hilly countryside, admittedly at low speeds, my average according to the on-board trip computer was 30.2 mpg. For a luxury 5,000 pound full-time-all-wheel-drive SUV, that’s pretty amazing.

One of the reasons that a new diesel was introduced in the Touareg is because of vehicle emission regulation. This new TDI is a 50 state compliant “clean diesel”. That means that it meets all government emissions standard for every state in the country.

Apart from the diesel technology, the Touareg has many compelling features. The interior is spacious and the seating is inviting. The ride is very comfortable and controlled especially with the available air suspension. Additionally, a nice navigation system with a 30 GB hard drive is available, plus real wood interior trim, a Dynadio music system, a rear view camera and dynamic cruise control.

An omission on the Touareg is a ventilated seat option. They are neither complicated nor expensive anymore and though they might not seem important to Northern European product planners, to those of us in the southern half of the U.S. and other warm climates, they are highly desirable and an expected feature in a vehicle of this class.

The price of the TDI is $42,000 and the diesel option is a $3,500 upcharge over the gas V6 model. There is however a $1,050 Federal Government tax credit, not a deduction but a credit, along with dramatically improved fuel economy that will easily offset the TDI cost. Apart from the financial considerations, the TDI is a pleasant and enjoyable vehicle to drive.

Volkswagen Routan

By Chris Jackson MyCarData

So, before you ask: no, Volkswagen’s new minivan isn’t a Microbus. It doesn’t look like a Microbus, and it doesn’t have the same attitude. And I don’t know why that’s the case. Yes, I know it would have been awesome if they re-created the Microbus.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let me introduce you to the Volkswagen Routan. It’s not the sort of van that Volkswagen is known for, but it’s got plenty going for it nonetheless. Rather than designing its own van from the ground up, Volkswagen teamed up with the avowed minivan experts of the industry at Chrysler. Since it’s arguable whether Chrysler or Volkswagen invented the minivan , with the early-Eighties Dodge Caravan or late-Fifties Microbus, respectively, it seems only fitting that these two companies would join forces. The Routan is based directly on the Chrysler Town & Country.

At a glance, this isn’t obvious. Volkswagen has done a good job of giving the Routan a complete exterior makeover. This seven-passenger van shares the VW lineup’s smooth, uncluttered lines and a handsome grille whose contour lines dip into the front bumper. The headlights are a combination of round and angled elements, like those of the Passat, and high-intensity discharge front lamps are available. At the rear, gently curving taillights flank a large rear hatch, the better for swallowing cargo.

The Passat seems to have donated its instrument panel as well; Volkswagen drivers will find a familiar layout and materials when sitting in the front seats. Moving back in the Routan, however, the illusion begins to unravel. The materials are nicer, but the layout is nonetheless identical to that of the Chrysler Town & Country on which it’s based. That’s not a wholly bad thing, of course, as the Routan is available with dual power sliding doors, a 115-volt outlet for household electronics and a remote start, like the Chrysler. The sound system’s head unit and the available touch-screen navigation system are lifted from Chrysler’s parts bin, and though they don’t quite fit ergonomically with the Volkswagen bits, they’re easy enough to use. An ultrasonic rear parking assist is available, as are a JoyBox Multi-Media entertainment system with a 30GB hard drive and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system with dual nine-inch video screens for second- and third-row passengers. Chrysler’s cool uconnect mobile wi-fi is also available on the Routan. The power-operated third-row seat folds into the floor or flips over for tailgating parties. From the interior, the Routan feels more like a Chrysler than a Volkswagen, which may disappoint some VW fans.

The driving experience is also pure Chrysler, and that’s almost guaranteed to be a letdown for dedicated Volkswagen people. Two V6 powerplants are offered; a 3.6 liter OHV V6 that produces 197 horsepower, and a 253-horse 4.0 liter SOHC V6. The 4.0 is the more sophisticated of the two, and it’s got enough power to adequately propel the 4500-pound Routan. Six-speed transmissions are standard with both engines, so fuel economy is decent, topping out at 25mpg on the freeway.

You’ll have to lose those expectations of a GTI-like driving experience. The Routan’s suspension consists of MacPherson struts up front and a twist beam at the rear. Volkswagen’s Electronic Stability Program (ESP) is standard, as it is on all VW products, and anti-lock brakes are also standard. The Routan is a competent driver, but the underpinnings lack the Germanic touch of the rest of the VW lineup.
Routan pricing is in line with the rest of the Volkswagen lineup–that is to say, it starts out reasonably enough, and can be equipped up to top-line luxury levels. The base Routan S starts at $24,700, and walks all the way up to $33,200 for the top of the line SEL. Our tester was an SEL, and it was kitted out with a navigation system, sunroof, power-folding third row seat, remote start and the rear air suspension, making it a top-flight minivan. It was priced accordingly as well, with a full sticker of $41,790. Is that too much for a glorified Chrysler Town & Country? That depends on how important the VW badge on the grille is to you.

Volkswagen CC – One Cool Car

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman
MyCarData

It has four contoured bucket seats. Much like a recent special-edition Nissan Maxima, it has a center console in the rear giving riders a more individualized experience. And perhaps we like it because it looks a lot like the gorgeous Mercedes-Benz CLS, but at a fraction of the cost.

Purchased in the right configuration, the CC is also economical to drive and reasonably priced coming off the showroom floor.

This being said, the CC is not for everyone. In fact the CC, which is built on the mid-sized Passat platform and contains most of the Passat bits and pieces including engine choices, is probably for a very few.

For instance, families with more than two children need not apply. And if you need to haul more than four people at a time, look elsewhere. But for us empty nesters who only need four very comfortable seating compartments at any one time and enough trunk room for two golf bags or a half dozen assorted carry-on bags and suitcases, the CC is a very effective statement. And it looks great in the driveway.

The roofline flows in an eye-pleasing curve in a coupe-like manner. A dramatic side character line rises from front to back accentuating the car’s glossy appearance. The headlights neatly wrap around the sleek- looking front end.

This may be the best looking Volkswagen in the company’s history.

Like a beautiful woman, it’s easy to forgive some faults. Faults, in this case is part of the design just as it is in the CLS. You will have to duck your head to clear the radically sloping windshield in the front and alter your entrance into the rear seats because of the dramatically curving rear glass.

When we first encountered the CLS at its introduction we were frustrated with the entry and egress, although we’re not 6-footers we are blessed with long torsos. That made getting in and out a challenge. Fortunately the VW CC, even though it mimics the shape of the CLS, was much friendlier and allowed for a much better experience. We caution again that you will need to watch your noggin but you won’t have to bend like a contortionist.

Also be advised in tight parking situations that the doors, which open wide for easier entry and exit are very large and somewhat weighty so don’t hit the car next to you.

Once behind the wheel, the CC does not disappoint. In fact, we were rather awed at the thought of such an attractive car rewarding its driver and passengers with attractive and inviting living quarters. The leather-clad bucket seats in all four corners of our test car proved as comfortable as our favorite living room chair and the high- grade materials and impeccable fit and finish made for a relaxing environment.

We like the two-tone look leather chairs in some editions, but we had no quarrel with all black as found in our test sedan. We also had no problem with the polished aluminum look trim pieces as opposed to what some might consider more luxurious wood. Are we gushing with too much praise for this beauty?

Perhaps, but it’s easy to become a cheerleader after spending a week behind the wheel.
Because the CC is based on the Passat sedan, it comes with the same decent legroom front and back as the Passat. The sloping roof, which is two inches lower than the Passat, makes headroom a bit tighter in back, but we found for passengers about six-foot and under headroom wasn’t much of an issue. It was, in fact, surprisingly generous.
The rounded configuration of the roof forces another compromise of sorts. The large glass sunroof does not open, but simply rises up in back for air flow. That’s no problem with us. We very seldom open a sunroof eschewing wind noise and unwanted hair disruption (as if we had hair!).

The front-driven CC comes with two engine configurations starting at $27,480 including destination charge. If your tastes run more toward a spirited V-6 and all-wheel drive, the CC obliges starting at $38,990.

The affordable base price will bring you the very lively and rewarding Volkswagen 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine generating 200 horsepower and 207 pound-foot of torque. The engine is used extensively by VW, and it is indeed one of the sweetest four-bangers on the market.

Volkswagen has made a six-speed manual transmission available with the engine, which will appeal to only a small percentage of buyers. But we applaud Volkswagen for offering this choice in such a standout sedan.

In automatic mode, the 2.0-liter is rated at a frugal 19 mpg city and 29 on the highway and can complete a 0-to-60 run in just a couple ticks over seven seconds. In this configuration the CC accomplished all of its tasks with ease including back country roads and changes of elevation as much as 2000 feet and more. It absolutely felt more powerful and quicker than its powertrain might indicate.

Moving up, the CC VR6 comes with 3.6-liter engine producing 280 horsepower and 265-foot-pounds of torque. It offers exhilarating performance with 0-to-60 times of around six seconds and quarter mile times as measured by one auto publication of 14.5 seconds at 98.2 mph. And as with the 2.0-liter the VR6 didn’t miss a beat. It was tight, fast and had excellent handling.

The downsides to the V-6 are obvious; purchase price and gas mileage (18/27) compared to the four-cylinder.

If you want all-wheel drive, a desirable configuration in cold-weather climates, the CC VR6 4Motion starts at $39,990. Gas mileage suffers slightly at 17/25.

Our pick of the litter would be the CC Luxury with the four-cylinder engine starting at $32,680 including destination charge. In addition to considerable standard equipment on all models, the luxury package adds front and rear park assist, automatic headlights, dual-zone climate control, leather seating, the large tilt-only sunroof, automatic wipers, and satellite radio.

Standard features include alloy wheels, heated front seats, automatic up/down windows on all doors and an eight-speaker stereo with six-CD changer. Standard safety includes a full compliment of airbags, antilock brakes and traction and stability control.

Our top-line test car CC VR6 4Motion came with a $2,640 technology package that included navigation and rear-view camera. We found the navigation easy to use and we were delighted with the satellite radio read-out on the navigation screen. Bottom line on our test car was $42,630.

As noted above, we could live very happily with the 4-cylinder Luxury edition. We would be tempted to add navigation bringing the bottom line to $35,320. In fact, if our budget dictated a lower purchase price, we would have little trouble sacrificing the navigation system, content just adding the stand-alone premium 600-watt audio system for a thousand bucks.

We like the fact Volkswagen makes a very acceptable and equally attractive CC for less than 30 grand, but offers the best of everything to the person who doesn’t mind forking over 40 big ones.

No matter how you go, the CC is a very alluring package.

2008 Volkswagen R32

By Chris Jackson, www.car-data.com

The Volkswagen R32 doesn’t look like the big, bad flagship performers from the Other Guys. Itlacks the aggressive, spoilers-vents-and- flares look of cars like the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutionand Subaru WRX STi, and there isn’t a distinctive exhaust roar to rattle the windows as itapproaches.

Looks can be deceiving, however; this is definitely the big dog in Volkswagen’s performancekennel. The first R32, introduced to the U.S. as a limited edition in 2004, was the brilliantmarriage of the subcompact Golf body, a V6 engine and VW’s 4MOTION all-wheel drive, and was aninstant success. After a four-year hiatus, the R32 is back. The formula is the same, from thesubtle design cues to the torquey V6 engine shoehorned under the hood, and VW plans to build 5000examples this time around.

So what is the engine story? Simple. The R32 is equipped with a naturally aspirated 3.2 literV6 making 250 horsepower. With the standard all-wheel drive and awesome Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG)manumatic, the R32 is good for a 6.5-second 0-60 run. The numbers don’t tell the whole story,though; it’s true that there are several other performance cars that would happily trounce this $32,000 glorified Rabbit. Very few of them, however, can return the R32’s brand of torquey poise.There’s no turbocharger under the hood; the R32 makes its power through the old-fashioned method ofdisplacement.

The 3.2 liter V6 is a DOHC, 24-valve unit with variable valve timing. At idle, a menacingburble from the centered dual exhaust is the only clue that the R32 has something special going on. Out on the road, there’s serious acceleration available at just about any engine speed. Itlacks the visceral punch of the turbocharged Japanese all-wheel drivers, as well as giving up ameasure of horsepower to them, but the tradeoff is a high performance car that’s easier to livewith. The R32 is manageable when you want it to be, and a high-performance demon when the needarises. The DSG’s instantaneous twin-clutch engagement allows for selective gear- changes as quickas a manual transmissions–the only thing missing is the fun of manipulating a clutch pedal.

A wider track and lowered suspension give the R32 a more intense ride than the rest of theRabbit line. The setup is the same–MacPherson struts up front and a multilink independentrear–but tuned to reduce body roll.

The R32 offers a firm ride with tenacious grip. It doesn’t like rough roads, but the all-wheeldrive improves stability if not ride comfort. The weather offered up some very un-sportscar-friendly black ice during the week I spent with the R32, and the dangerous roads proved to be noproblem for the hot Volkswagen. When things finally warmed up so that it was merely damp, theR32’s flat cornering and brake force distribution made it possible to play on some of my favoriteroads without fear. The Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) stability control works with theall-wheel drive to ensure sure-footed performance.

It may have the familiar combination of big horsepower and all-wheel drive, but the R32 issomething quite different from the other compact performers out there. This is reflected in thedesign, which at a glance isn’t that different from the Rabbit on which the R32 is based. Thefamiliar one-box design is upgraded with a central dual exhaust at the rear and a chrome grille upfront. A body-colored roof spoiler and bumpers are accented with R32 badges and xenon headlamps.Unique 18-inch, 20-spoke wheels and brakes with distinctive blue calipers round out the R32appearance package. It doesn’t stand out much on the road, especially when compared to the bigspoilers and wings found on other compact performance flagships.

The R32 trades on its reputation rather than its looks.

The interior is equally subtle. The R32 gets a flat-bottomed racing- style steering wheel andbody-hugging sport seats, but then so does the GTI. Only “R” badges and special hand-turned styledash trim set it apart visually.

This isn’t a bad thing however, as the standard Rabbit’s interior is already comfortable andwell-trimmed as it is.

The R32 difference is mainly in the equipment; automatic climate control, a six-disc CD changer,rain-sensing wipers, and heated seats are standard equipment. A navigation system is available,though the controls are challenging to master.

Critics will be quick to point out that the R32 is less powerful and has a lower ultimateperformance limit than a number of cars which cost significantly less. This is true, but this isalso one of those cars about which the numbers can’t tell the whole story. The R32 offersexceptional performance in a more reserved package, one that doesn’t constantly leave you feelingas though you’re driving a special stage in a World Rally competition. The R32 can be driven likea normal car, if you’d like, and the subtle design modifications mean that it only shows off whenit really wants to. For some drivers, that will be enough to justify the price premium. The costis a significant thing, too; R32 pricing starts at $32,990, and as a limited-edition model it’s notgoing to be common on the dealer lots, either. Odds are that a significant percentage of theproduction run has already been snapped up by eager Volkswagen loyalists.

Specifications:
All specs are for the 2008 Volkswagen R32.

Length: 167.2 in.

Width: 69.2 in.

Height: 57.7. in.

Wheelbase: 101.5 in.

Curb weight: 3547 lb.

Cargo space: 9.7 cu.ft. (seats up); 43.4 cu.ft. (seats folded) Base price:

$32,990 Price as tested: $35,430

Engine: 3.2 liter DOHC V6

Drivetrain: six-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel drive

Horsepower: 250 @ 6300

Torque: 236 @ 2500-3000

Fuel capacity: 14.5 gal.

Est. mileage: 18/23

08 VW TIGUAN – Volkswagen Tiguan Is The Right Vehicle At The Right Time

By Kelly Foss www.car-data.com

The compact SUV or CUV class of vehicle is all the rage these days. Vehicle costs, especiallyfuel costs have become the dominant issue. A smaller, lighter vehicle with a smaller engine is theway to reduce fuel costs. That doesn’t mean that it can’t have a flexible interior and won’t befun to drive however. The Volkswagen Tiguan is the right vehicle at the right time.

The PR people at VW introduced the Tiguan is a CUV (crossover utility vehicle.meaning its carbased rather than truck based) version of their Rabbit GTI. The point they were trying to make isthat the Tiguan has small CUV attributes; elevated seating position and flexible interior, plussporty driving characteristics. It’s a fun and useful vehicle with great fuel economy.

The name Tiguan was derived by joining the words Tiger and Iguana.it’s a German thing.Regardless, the vehicle is very likeable. The styling is current and it’s a nice lookingautomobile. It has a substantial presence and the packaging is very good. The interior space ingenerous and roomy in both rows of seats and the rear cargo area holds tons of stuff. The 2nd rowfolds flat yielding 56 cu ft of hauling volume.

The interior styling is definitely upscale. The Tiguan is offered in an S, SE or SEL trim.Even the base S model is nicely appointed and tastefully styled. Luxury options include items suchas navigation system with backup camera, leather seating, panorama sunroof, 4Motion all wheel drive, a 6 speed automatic transmission, a xenon headlight package with swivel headlamps and 12 waypower front seats.

The Tiguan is easy to enter and exit. The seating position elevated providing an excellent viewof the road. The direct and nicely weighted steering makes driving the vehicle a breeze. TheTiguan is powered by a 200 horsepower turbo charged 2.0 liter 4 cylinder engine connected to eithera 6 speed manual or 6 speed automatic transmission. It has lots of power and I could coax almost30 miles per gallon of fuel economy from it at a steady freeway speed with the automatic.very good.

My test model came with VW’s 4Motion automatic full time all wheel drive system. It you live ina place with winter weather or you’ll be off driving in the mud, it is useful. In our warm climate, it’s hard to justify the $2,000 additional cost and reduced fuel economy just to have it,especially considering that all models have a full stability and traction control capability asstandard equipment. The Tiguan also comes with a full array of safety gear including up to 6airbags plus a very strong body structure.

The Tiguan is solid feeling, good looking, quiet and fun to drive.